Large annual press conference of Russian President Vladimir Putin in a live broadcast watched this year more than 6.9 million Russians over the age of 18; this figure is twice more than last year, according to data from research company Mediascope.

Most of the annual press conference of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin took place on December 14 and lasted 3 hours and 40 minutes, during this time, the head of state answered 73 questions from 54 journalists.

The live broadcast of the press conference were the First channel, «Russia 1» «Russia 24». According to the company Mediascope, the overall audience for all three channels amounted to 6 million 972 thousand 662 people. Audience share (the percentage of all viewers at that time the TV of Russians older than 18 years) was 55.7%, a rating (percentage of target audience who saw the essential event) and 11.7 %.

In 2016, the overall audience for all three channels accounted for nearly 6.7 million Russians. In 2015, the press conference, which apart from the three mentioned channels was led by the «MIR» TV channel, watched by more than 7.6 million adult citizens of the Russian Federation. In 2012, the figure was just over 5 million.

The practice of holding large press conferences for the year Putin introduced in 2001 during the first term. Record duration of event was in 2008, when 4 hours 40 minutes, the President answered 106 questions. Only seven minutes less last press conference in 2012, then there were some unusual questions, including about the end of the world.